Susan Branning, MBA, RD, CNSD, CDN
District: CNYDA

Susan has worked for Morrison Healthcare for over 14 years. She is currently the Clinical Nutrition Manager with Morrisons at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse NY.

Susan graduated from Penn State University with a BS in Nutrition, completed her Dietetic Internship with United Health Services Hospitals in Johnson City, NY, and received her MBA from Colorado State University.

Prior to joining the NYSDA Board of Directors, Susan was actively involved in the Southern Tier Dietetic Association for over ten years, holding various leadership offices including President. She received the Recognized Young Dietitian Award from NYSDA in 1999 and attended the ADA Leadership Institute in 2008. Susan is an avid sports fan and enjoys traveling, reading, and cooking in her spare time.

Maria Mahar, MA, RD, CDN
District:

Bio coming soon!

Kathleen Border, RD, MEd, CDN
District: WNYDA

Kathy is Program Director of Dietetics at Trocaire College in Buffalo, NY. Her path to NYSDA President began over 10 years ago volunteering on district positions such as career guidance, nomination committee and president. Kathy was elected NYSDA Delegate, covering the Western, Central, Southern Tier and Genesee Dietetic Associations in 2004-2007.

A graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh, she completed her internship at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. A Master’s Degree in Nutrition Education from Framingham State College has served her well in various positions throughout her career, all with a nutrition education focus.

Volunteer positions with dietetics as well as in her community through church, school and scouts are important to Kathy and her family. Networking and leadership skills have been great benefits of her involvement with WNYDA and NYSDA!

Kathy lives with her husband Charlie and 3 children in South Wales. All her children will become teenagers during her term as president so she asks for your patience and understanding in advance!

Amy Marlow, MPH, RD, CDN

Amy Marlow is a nutrition consultant and wellness professional in New York City. She currently works as a Benefits Specialist, helping to manage MetLife’s employee wellness program and other health-related benefit programs. Amy also serves as the Nutrition Advisor for HAPPYBABY, the organic baby and toddler food company, and she is the co-author, with Dr. Robert Sears, of “HAPPYBABY: The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months” (Harper Collins, 2009). She has worked as a pediatric dietitian at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington DC, and has consulted for the National Cancer Institute's 5-A-Day program.

Amy has held many positions at the state and local dietetic association levels. She has been the Public Relations Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and Pediatric Special Interest Group Chair for the Greater New York Dietetic Association and has served as Membership Chair and Nominating Committee Chair for NYSDA. Amy was a recipient of NYSDA’s Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2007.

Roberta Gershner MS, RD, CDN
District: WRDA

Roberta holds a Bachelors Degree in Food Science and Management from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY and a Masters Degree in Nutrition from Hunter College in New York City and has completed advanced post-graduate studies in Nutrition at New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY. She has over 40 years experience as a Registered Dietitian and is a credentialed provider to many health insurance companies. An expert in the field of gastrointestinal disorders, Roberta is a regular lecturer on the subject of nutrition for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.

For the past 22 years, Roberta has maintained a private practice specializing in medical nutrition therapy treating patients on referral from physicians and others. She regularly sees patients with diagnoses such as gastrointestinal disorders, hyperlipidemia, food allergies, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. As she was a pioneer in the field of private practice, Roberta has been a mentor to countless Dietitians who have gone on to develop their own practice. Recently, she authored an article on the subject of private practice, which appeared in Topics in Clinical Nutrition (Medical Nutrition Therapy, Private Practice, and the Reimbursement Process: A Quick Primer to a Complicated Subject, January/March 2007, volume 22, issue 1.)

In 2003-2004, Roberta was the President of NYSDA and received the Distinguished Dietitian award in 2006. She is also a past President of the Westchester-Rockland Dietetic Association and has held many offices in that organization as well as NYSDA. At present, Roberta is a delegate to WRDA, Hudson Valley Dietetic Association and the Mid-Hudson Dietetic Association.

Roberta has also been a consultant to Phelps Memorial Hospital, Sleepy Hollow, NY as their out-patient Registered Dietitian and was formerly on the staff of the FDR VA Hospital in Montrose, NY as a Clinical Dietitian.

Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN
District:

Keri Gans is a nutrition consultant in private practice, providing individual and group counseling. Keri frequently speaks to consumer groups on healthy eating and lifestyle changes, professional groups on building a private practice and breaking into the media and to nutrition students on a career in dietetics. She was the weekly host of Manhattan’s public access TV show Diet Diva for more than five years. Her first book “The Small Change Diet” will be published by Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) Spring 2011. Besides being NYSDA's Delegate, Keri is an ADA National Spokesperson and past-president of the New York State Dietetic Association and has held many other positions such as public relations chair and annual meeting chair. Keri received the NYSDA’s 2010 Media Excellence Award and the 2006 Emerging Dietetic Leader Award. Keri is a graduate of Ohio University and earned a master’s degree from New York University.

Sandra McNeil, MA, RD, CDN, FADA, DHCFA
District: CNYDA, MRDA

Sandra is a Registered Dietitian with thirty-seven years experience in the healthcare industry. This includes positions in critical care, renal, long-term care, and management. In addition she has experience in day care, home care, and corrections and public health.

Currently, she is the Clinical Manager of Nutrition and Diabetes at Glens Falls Hospital and manages a staff of both RDs and RNs. Prior to this she was Associate Director of Food and Nutrition Services at UNC in Chapel Hill, NC.

She has attained her undergraduate degree in Food and Nutrition and a graduate degree in Administration and Leadership, both from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

She is currently serving on the NYSDA Board of Directors as Public Policy Coordinator. She also serves on the American Dietetic Association, Scope of Practice Committee. She was awarded the NYS Distinguished Dietitian Award in 2008.

She is a “Fellow of the American Dietetic Association” and is a member of several practice groups. She is also a past member of the Board of Directors for JDRF, and a “Distinguished-level” member of ASHFSA serving on both the publications committee and the scholarship committees in the past. She is also a member of AHF. In the past she has served as Reimbursement Chair for HVDA and Media Representative for HVDA!

Mary (Pia) DiMarzio, RD, CDN
District: CNYDA

Bio coming soon.

Barbara Baron, MS, RD, CDN
District: GNYDA

Barbara Baron is a registered dietitian and Director of Health Professional Communications for the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Inc. (ADADC), a non-profit nutrition education organization recognized as an educational-scientific institution by the Federal Government. Ms. Baron conducts seminars and develops messages about dairy’s health and nutrition benefits to physicians, dietitians and community health leaders. She also serves as a nutrition expert and spokesperson conducting interviews with media and explaining dietary information in easy-to-understand terms.

Prior to joining Dairy Council, Ms. Baron worked as a clinical dietitian at The Hospital for Special Surgery, specializing in osteoporosis, orthopedic and rheumatic diseases. She is a member of several practice groups within The American Dietetic Association including Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition; Pediatric Nutrition; Food & Culinary Professionals; Woman and Reproductive Nutrition; and served as Chair, Speakers Bureau, Nutrition Education of the Public, 2006-2007

Ms. Baron completed her Dietetic Internship at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics/Dietetics from Hunter College in New York City, and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Physical Fitness from New York University. She is Past President of the New York State Dietetic Association; was awarded The Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year by the American Dietetic Association in 1994, and the Distinguished Dietitian of the Year from the Greater New York Dietetic Association in 2002.

Eden Kalman, MA, RD, CDN
District: GNYDA

Eden is the Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Hospital for Special Surgery, which specializes in orthopedics and rheumatology and is located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

A graduate of the University of California (Davis, California), she completed her internship at St. Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri) and her Masters Degree in Food Service Administration at New York University (New York, New York).

Eden has a long standing commitment to both the New York State and Greater New York Dietetic Associations. She has held numerous positions including President (both GNYDA and NYSDA), Delegate, Annual Meeting Co-chair (twice), and Bylaws Handbook Chair. In conjunction with a Big Brothers Big Sisters workplace mentoring program, she is a “big sister” to a New York City High School Student.

Eden is the proud recipient of the RYDY, GNYDA Distinguished, NYSDA Distinguished awards.

Eden lives with her husband, 5 cats and 1 dog in River Vale, New Jersey.